Teddy bears tag along with Frederick police

Frederick, Md. police officer John Meyer holds teddy bears. The bears are given to children to help them cope with stressful situations. (WTOP/David Burd)

FREDERICK, Md. – Along with reflective vests and road flares, police in Frederick have a special tool stored in their patrol cars – and it’s cuddly.

Frederick police officers have teddy bears in their vehicles, tagging along on every call. Whether it’s a car accident or domestic violence, the bears are there to help children cope.

“The main thing that they’re used for is when we respond to car accidents. Even if it’s just a fender bender or something like that, they’ll pull out a bear and give it to the kid,” Michelle Bowman, the community outreach specialist for the City of Frederick says.

“(I) just recently responded to a traffic accident involving a younger girl, and the bear just helps calm them down, gives them something to hold onto, something to focus on,” says John Meyer with the City of Frederick Police Department.

The bears used by the police department are donated. Anyone who has a bear to spare can take it to the police headquarters in Frederick on 100 West Patrick St.